AP world history unit 2 1200- 1450 Flashcards
Astrolabe
instrument used to determine latitude by measuring the position of the stars
bill of exchange
issued by a banker in one city to a merchant who could exchange it for cash in a distant city, thus freeing him from traveling with gold, which was easily stolen
Borobudur
The largest Buddhism monument anywhere in the world. Example of cultural exchange and syncretism
Bubonic Plague (Black Death)
a deadly disease that spread across Asia and Europe in the mid-14th century, killing millions of people; may have caused the decline of serfdom
bulk goods
The majority of the type of goods traded along the Indian Ocean Trade Network, mostly due to the ability to take heavy loads on ships
camel saddle
An invention which gives camel riders more stability on the animal and its invention and basic idea traveled along the Trans-Saharan Caravan Trade Route. Invented somewhere between 500 and 100 BCE by Bedouin tribes.
Caravanserai
inn or rest station for caravans, would provide a safe place to stay the night, supported the flow of commerce, information, and people across the network of Africa, Arabia and Asia
compass
an instrument that shows the direction of magnetic north; primarily used in sea navigation
demographics
statistical data relating to the population and particular groups within it.
Diasporic communities
merchant communities that introduced their own cultures into other areas
Genghis (Chinggis) Khan
Founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire. He came to power by uniting the nomadic tribes of northeast Asia and his empire became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death. The empire also stabilized the Silk Road and facilitated trade along it
Gunpowder
Invented within China during the 9th century, this substance became the dominant military technology used to expand European and Asian empires by the 15th century.
Ibn Battuta
Moroccan Muslim scholar, the most widely traveled individual of his time. He wrote a detailed account of his visits to Islamic lands from China to Spain and the western Sudan.
Indian Ocean trading network
The world’s largest sea-based system of communication and exchange before 1500 C.E., Indian Ocean commerce stretched from southern China to eastern Africa and included not only the exchange of luxury and bulk goods but also the exchange of ideas and crops.
Junks
Large Chinese sailing ships especially designed for long-distance travel during the Tang and Song dynasties
Kublai Khan
(1215-1294) Grandson of Genghis Khan and founder of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty in China.
Lateen Sail
triangular sail that made it possible to sail against the wind; used in the Indian Ocean trade
luxury goods
goods that have special qualities that make them more expensive than alternative goods
Mali
The kingdom in West Africa that followed the Kingdom of Ghana; its wealth is also based on trans-Saharan trade; this kingdom encouraged the spread of Islam.
Mansa Musa
Ruler of Mali (r. 1312-1337). His extravagant pilgrimage through Egypt to Mecca in 1324-1325 established the empire’s reputation for wealth in the Mediterranean world.
Marco Polo
(1254-1324) Italian explorer and author. He made numerous trips to China and returned to Europe to write of his journeys. He is responsible for much of the knowledge exchanged between Europe and China during this time period.
Mongols
Nomadic people from Central Asia when united ended up creating the largest single land empire in history.
monsoon winds
These carried ships on the Indian Ocean between India and Africa
paper money
legal currency issued on paper; it developed in China as a convenient alternative to metal coins
Pastoral people
people who stay on the move in search of new grazing lands for their livestock.
Pax Mongolica
The period of approximately 150 years of relative peace and stability created by the Mongol Empire.
Porcelain
a thin, beautiful pottery invented in China
relay trade
each trader does a leg of journey along silk road. Price raises after each trade; Silk Roads trade
Samarkand
a wealthy trading center known for decorated mosques and tombs; a key trading city along the Silk Roads
silk
a valuable cloth, originally made only in China from threads spun by caterpillars called silkworms
Silk Roads
A system of ancient caravan routes across Central Asia, along which traders carried silk and other trade goods.
Southernization (Lynda Shaffer)
idea that it was the innovations and developments from the global south which transformed the world in 600-1450 periodization. It contrasts with the idea of “westernization”.
Swahili
A Bantu language with Arabic words, spoken along the east African coast
Swahili city-states
Actively participated in Indian Ocean trade along the East coast of the African continent
syncretism
a blending of beliefs and practices from different religions into one faith
Timbuktu
Mali trading city that became a center of wealth and learning
Trans-Saharan Trade
route across the Sahara desert. Major trade route that traded for gold, slaves and salt, created caravan routes, economic benefit for controlling desert, camels played a huge role in the trading
Yuan Dynasty
Dynasty in China set up by the Mongols under the leadership of Kublai Khan, replaced the Song (1279-1368); greatly promoted trade and commerce
